The first people from Portugal to arrive in the Hawaiian Islands
actually jumped ship in 1794, yet the first recorded Portuguese visitor
arrived in 1814. This visitor, John Elliot de Castro became a close
associate with King Kamehameha I assisting the King as his personal
physician. Fourteen years after
de Castro arrived, commercial sugar crops grew popular as a cash crop in Hawaii;
Portuguese sailors began to jump ship to work in the fields and to start their
lives afresh. The Portuguese culture has had a large influence on
the Hawaiian culture. For example, Portuguese have given Hawaii many of
its traditional cuisine such as malasadas and spicy sausages as well as musical
instruments such as ukulele and slack-key guitar. The Portuguese have added
a special flavor to the boiling pot of Hawaiian culture.